A Thread of Life
Finally, a review of Threads, plus Tom Selleck, faces the risk of scorching his mustache. It's this week's news.
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And now, let's get to The News.
Hot Takes
Week 32 of 2023
Trumpster Fire
First of all, I can't believe I didn't think of this headline before. You're welcome.
We know Georgia is hot this time of year, but thanks to their District Attorney, it's about to get hotter. Fulton County Fanni is taking her fanny before a grand jury next week packed with a dozen or more ideas on what to indict Donald Trump for. This would make his fourth criminal indictment and probably one of the most productive uses of a fanny pack. Fanni Willis's case is centered around Trump's phone call where he pressured election officials to overturn the Georgia election results by "finding" more votes. Trump refers to the call as a "perfect phone call," and prosecutors are inclined to agree since it is recorded and has proven to be perfect for making their case. (more)
In related news, this just in that a judge approved a search warrant to review Trump's Twitter account last January to see who was sliding into the Tangelo's DMs – and also what was slipping out. My tip to Jack Smith: check the drafts folder. It's easy to miss those – and since Twitter (X) doesn't work right, they stay there forever, even if you delete them. (more)
Stop, Lei Down, and Roll
At least 53 people have died due to wildfires in Maui this week, while residents and tourists evacuated in a rush, abandoning their mai tais and jumping into the ocean (joking about the drinks but not the water escape).
Hawaii has seen wildfires increase to the point of putting Magnum P.I.'s mustache at risk of an untimely scorching. President Biden has declared a state of disaster while rolling his eyes at Joe Manchin, presumably to hint at their squabbles over passing climate change policy. This week's bout of wildfires has spread so rapidly that they certify that the only thing hotter than Hawaii's tourism is the island itself. (more)
It's Him or Ukraine
A woman was arrested after Ukrainian security found her attempting to collect data for an assassination plot against President Zelensky. She worked at a military store, but when security forces caught wind of her asking strange questions. They figured out she wasn't just selling sardines. She was selling secrets to the Putin Administration. If convicted, she'll face 12 years in prison. (more)
Not That Feinstein
In the news category of 'Elderly people running the country, whether they know it or not,' Diane Feinstein took a fall in her San Francisco home this week. Her hips don't lie, but they sure are prone to crack at her age, so when she tripped over a chair, she was admitted to the hospital as a precaution. When asked for a comment on the news, Mitch McConnel said nothing but made a low humming sound for 19 seconds without even blinking. (more)
WeWork, Sort Of
The once enormously valuable coworking space startup, WeWork, has signaled it might not BeWorking at all soon. It released a statement saying it has substantial doubt it will remain in business, and that kombucha was no longer free in the lobby. The coworking space startup grew from a big idea to an even bigger real estate bust after its founder, Adam Neumann, not only meditated too much but also ran the company out of money, causing it to plunge from $47 billion down to somewhere around the street value of its kombucha supply. Don't worry, Adam walked away with nearly $700 million of investors money. (more)
That's it for the news. Now here's this week's Feature.
A Thread of Life
An honest review of the hit social media app, Threads.
Feature Story
I've been meaning to provide an in-depth review of Threads, the hot new social media app that, after a weekend of 150 million downloads, has been mostly forgotten by everyone not making money from it. The following is based on my first-hand experience during the week the app was launched and my long-time experience with social media as a consultant to marketers. You'll have to pardon me if I go into a lot of detail surrounding my own experience. Your mileage may vary, but I'll highlight how I plan to use the app.
Threads launched on a Wednesday to front page news. On the weekend following its launch, my wife and I walked through a nearby neighborhood near one of our favorite coffee joints downtown. With cups in hand, we enjoyed the charming homes with historic features. The coffee was just starting to cool, and the weather cooler, with a breeze more fragrant, sharing fruit and floral notes, with a touch of spice.
The neighborhood was tranquil but not quiet. Our conversation fit nicely into the backdrop of birds chirping and stroller wheels crossing over the urban sidewalks. We began to notice music almost as if it was in the background.
A few steps later, we found ourselves somewhere just around the corner, if not in a dream. The music seemed just too out of place to be real, but it was real. We came upon a live jazz band playing on the porch of a home, with several neighbors perched upon blankets or lawn chairs enjoying the music or a slice of cheese. It was a place where a notification was a glass of wine or an offer to stay a while.
No one ever said, “Can you please create a new MySpace” just like they never said, “Can you create a new telegram" or worse, "A new kind of fog for our smoke signals." — they simply moved on to better things. But the better things which have always endured included bread, cheese, wine, and a handful of neighbors, and clearly jazz classics.
My wife and I stood there for quite a while, enjoying the music and also the feeling in the air. The people that surrounded us and the welcoming nature. The jazz band was as good as any you'd see in a swanky bar, where you'd pay a healthy ticket price to see them, and you'd probably recognize their names if you followed the regional guild. But it was free, and it was not online. It was not available on Threads, and if it were, the wine would not taste as good. I had all but forgotten there was an internet or phones. I was lucky I even remembered to capture a video, as I was so enthralled by the music. Here’s only a small sample, a cut of 39 seconds.
Their final song, before we departed, was by Fred Rogers. His iconic song, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
I can assure you. It was.
That's it for this week.
Thanks for being here and sharing around the world.
Have a great weekend!